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What I’ve been reading …
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Recent Posts
- Sermon: The futility of war and the peace of Christ
- Sermon: The God of Israel? The God of the USA? The Father of Jesus Christ is the God of the whole world and all creation.
- Sermon: Jesus’ advantage over Genghis Khan
- Sermon: Was Jesus a violent or a peaceful protester?
- Sermon: It is not going to make us any friends
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Author Archives: Avril Hannah-Jones
Sermon: In which Avril rabbits on about love yet again, because it IS all about love
And if God is love, as our faith tells us God is, then even our smallest loving actions will contribute to filling the universe with love and so with God. Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged 1 John 5:1-6, Desert Fathers, First Letter of John, friendship, Gospel according to John, John 15:9-17, Julian of Norwich, love
2 Comments
Sermon: Christianity means something (liberation and love)
How can we discern that we are on the right path, that the spirit leading us is the Holy Spirit and not simply the spirit of the age? By testing everything against the life and ministry of Jesus, and through love. If it is not loving, loving in truth and action rather than simply word and speech, it is simply not Christianity. Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged 1 John 4:7–21, Christian women, John 15:1–8, love, prosperity gospel, slavery, women, women in ministry
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Reflection for ANZAC Day
Today we remember all those affected by war; commemorate all those who were injured or killed in war; mourn with all those who lost people they loved; recognise all those who conscientiously refused to fight. We also pledge ourselves to do everything possible to prevent war, so that future generations will not have to experience its horrors. Continue reading
Posted in Reflection
Tagged ANZAC Day, Corder Catchpool, Holy War, Martin Luther King, Peace, war, World War One
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Sermon: It’s all about love (I know, I know; I keep saying that. But it is!)
‘God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them,’ (1 John 4:16) writes the Elder, summing up in one sentence what I try to say ever single week. Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged 1 John 3:1-7, First Letter of John, forgiveness, love, sin, The Elder
1 Comment
Sermon: A story without an ending
I suspect that the reason the resurrection was announced first to women was because too often women have not been believed when they speak, women’s testimony has not been taken seriously. The God who created both male and female in God’s own image might be making a point. Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged covid19, Easter Sunday, Fear, Gospel according to Mark, Mark 16:1-8, resurrection, women
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Sermon: A different sort of power
Here we see the true King, the only leader we are called to follow, showing an alternate vision to the Pax Romana, a different way of exercising power, with humility and gentleness. The crowds cheer: the powers that be, both Roman and Temple, worry. Ultimately, the powers that be will conspire to kill him. Continue reading
Sermon: Destruction and Newness
This is a dangerous exercise of prophetic imagination. If the ‘least’ as well as the ‘greatest’ know the Lord on equal terms, what will the world look like? It cannot be a world in which those with particular types of education or holding particular offices will have power and privilege, while everyone else knows their place. Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Babylonian Exile, Jeremiah, Jeremiah 31:31-34, Lent, Lent 5
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Sermon: The powerlessness and ugliness of God in Jesus
If we ignore the crucifixion’s horror we lose that solidarity between God and suffering humanity. If we make Jesus too attractive and powerful, we might think that ugly, suffering human beings are not part of the world that God so loves. Continue reading
Posted in Sermons, Uncategorized
Tagged crucifixion, death, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, John 3:14-21, Jurgen Moltmann, Lent, Lent 4, Numbers 21:4-9, resurrection, The Crucified God, ugliness
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Sermon: Righteous Anger
This week many people, particularly women, have expressed anger. Before condemning this anger, or dismissing those who are demanding change from Australian institutions as a ‘mob’, let us remember today’s gospel story and Jesus’ outrageous, zealous, righteous anger in the Temple. Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged anger, John 2:13-22, Lent, Lent 3, Politics, rape, sexual abuse, sexual assault
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Sermon: Totally depraved; dearly loved.
Reflection for North Balwyn Uniting ChurchSecond Sunday of Lent, 28th of February 2021 Mark 8:31-38 There is a joke I have started using on social media when discussing distressing news of human beings doing wrong. People ask how something so … Continue reading
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